Summer Fruit BBQ & Strawberry Basil Limeade

Last weekend we had the pleasure of hanging out with our friends, Shannon & Mike, and their adorable little girl, Asha. I’d come across a recipe for Strawberry Basil Margaritas that sounded amazing, and I thought it’d be a tasty addition to the yummy grilled vegetables and salad that Shannon and Mike were making.

We also brought some nectarines, pluots and peaches along to throw on the grill for dessert. I’d never grilled fruit before, but Mike was fortunately an expert, so he and Ryan handled it for us. Here’s the fruit lined up on the grill, getting nice and caramelized!

While I don’t have a recipe for the grilled fruit (since you basically just cut it up and throw it on a hot grill), I do have one for the Strawberry Basil Limeade that I made. I changed the name since I tweaked the recipe a bit and made a non-alcoholic version. Rather than tequila, we added vodka for those who wanted a little booze. But before I post the recipe, I just have to show you little Asha enjoying her summer fruit and a little tofu. She’s a cutie!

This is so simple that it feels silly to even write out a recipe, so think of this more as a guideline. You could substitute lemonade if you like that better, and of course use whatever alcohol is your favorite.

Strawberry Basil Limeade

about a pint of strawberries
4-5 large Basil leaves
1 container limeade or lemonade (I used Trader Joe’s Sparkling Limeade)
about 1 can of soda water
ice, for serving
vodka, tequila, or your alcohol of choice (optional)

Hull the strawberries and thinly slice them. Place them into a pitcher. Crush the basil leaves in your hand, and throw them in the pitcher with the strawberries. Add the limeade (or lemonade) and place the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Before serving, fill a glass with ice and your alcohol of choice, if you’re using it. (These are also really tasty and refreshing without alcohol). I added some soda water to my strawberry mixture because I found it a little bit too sweet, but you might find that you don’t need it. Just add it to taste.

You can garnish these with some basil leaves or more sliced strawberries. Enjoy!